Tesla issues refunds for customers double charged for EVs

At the end of March, Tesla customers started making some noise, saying they'd been charged not once for their new electric vehicles, but twice. After some hurdles and a lack of communication between Tesla and owners, CNBC reported Wednesday that refunds are finally happening.

The website said a number of owners it first got in contact with about the double-billing problem have now received refunds. Most customers saw a reversal on April 1. The owners affected, by and large, paid for their vehicles in full via ACH transfers, and it seems the problem stemmed from bugs in the wire transfer. According to initial reports, owners successfully paid for the car once, and then without authorization, Tesla billed for the car's full price again. The issues also came shortly after Tesla began accepting Bitcoin to purchase its EVs.

Tesla does not operate a public relations department to field requests for comment, so we likely won't know what exactly the problem was, but owners told CNBC the company issued an emailed apology and restored funds. The automaker also covered any overdraft fees from the double charge.

Along with an apology email, Tesla reportedly issued $200 coupons to affected customers to use on the company's online store. With the voucher, owners can buy apparel or other small accessories, but not big-ticket items like vehicle accessories. Tesla Tequila is also off limits with the coupons, according to the report.

Tesla Model 3 remains the gold standard for electric sedans

+18 More

See all photos